1. Field of the Invention
The invention claimed in the present patent application generally relates to computer network infrastructure management and, more particularly, to a data routing framework over various network topologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
A primary network management objective for a computer network in the art is to manage the infrastructure and data routing within and without the network. A network generally comprises a plurality of computers connected to each other. Data can travel into and out of the network, with the data being routed to a particular computer therein or out therefrom to the Internet or another network. For data inbound into the network, proxy servers are typically used in the art for routing the inbound data and preventing the entry of computer viruses into the network. For outbound data, proxy servers are typically used in the art for properly routing the outbound data from within the network and out to the Internet or another network. A proxy server is generally disposed between the Internet and a computer in the network. A proxy is a program that receives Internet service requests by a computer in the network and makes those requests to the Internet through a single Internet protocol (IP) address.
Data routing is generally direct when accessing the computers in the network. However, routing data through proxy servers for accessing computers in the network or computers protected by firewalls becomes circuitous in navigating through the proxy addressing. These shortcomings in the art become exacerbated as the topologies of the network become more complex.
There is thus a general need in the art for an optimal network architecture that overcomes at least the aforementioned shortcomings in the art. In particular, a need exists in the art for a data routing framework and method thereof for efficient access to computers in the network having firewalls and proxy servers or other complex network topologies.